UPDATE: No. 18 Lunar Flare (12) has been scratched from the Melbourne Cup field.
Goliath owner Lloyd Williams now has only Serpentine remaining in his hunt for an eighth ‘Loving Cup’ trophy with breaking Melbourne Cup 2022 news that the Robert Hickmott-trained Point Nepean has officially been scratched from Tuesday’s Group 1 $7.75 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) field due to an elevated blood count.
Point Nepean has been withdrawn from the 2022 Melbourne Cup field with an elevated blood count. Photo: Racing Photos.
With no emergencies allowed for the ‘race that stops a nation’ there will now be only 23 Melbourne Cup horses lining up in the famous Flemington Race 7 at 3:00pm (AEDT) on Tuesday afternoon.
Vets made the concerning discovery on Monday morning around the elevated blood results, which could indicate illness or infection, and which subsequently ruled out the five-year-old Camelot entire from the 162nd edition of the world’s richest handicap race.
Irish hoop Wayne Lordan made the long flight to Australia for the ride, but has been left without a shot at Melbourne Cup glory.
Point Nepean was horse No. 21 drawn barrier 20 in the Melbourne Cup field.
His withdrawal sees the four horses drawn wider than him all move in one position.
Updated 2022 Melbourne Cup Barriers:
- No. 3 Knights Order – 24 into 23
- No. 11 Young Werther – 21 into 20
- No. 13 Serpentine – 23 into 22
- No. 20 Tralee Rose – 22 into 21
Among the horses coming in one closer is the fellow Hickmott-trained Serpentine now in barrier 22 to be ridden by John Allen.
Serpentine snuck his way into the field passing the ballot clause at the eleventh hour running a brave second in Saturday’s Group 3 Lexus Archer Stakes on Derby Day.
Point Nepean was around $81 as an outsider in Melbourne Cup betting at the time of his withdrawal, the same price Serpentine is currently paying for an upset.
UK raider Deauville Legend remains hot favourite in the markets at firming Melbourne Cup odds of $3.60 through Ladbrokes.com.au drawn in barrier nine with three-time winning hoop Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle.
Anthony & Sam Freedman‘s light-weight mare Realm Of Flowers with 50kg has been heavily supported and is now into single-figures at $9.50.
The six-year-old daughter of So You Think was last seen running a close third in Sydney’s Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m).
Click here for the updated Melbourne Cup markets from Ladbrokes.com.au.
2022 Melbourne Cup Field & Barriers
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 52x3x33529 | GOLD TRIP (FR) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Mark Zahra | 14 | 57.5kg | 119 | |
| 2 | 96117×0688 | DUAIS | Edward Cummings | Hugh Bowman | 10 | 55.5kg | 116 | |
| 3 | x3521x1343 | KNIGHTS ORDER (IRE) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 24 (into 23) | 55.5kg | 114 | |
| 4 | 14x718x434 | MONTEFILIA | David Payne | Jason Collett | 11 | 55.5kg | 116 | |
| 5 | x60211x225 | NUMERIAN (IRE) | Annabel Neasham | Tommy Berry | 7 | 55.5kg | 114 | |
| 6 | 11x20311x2 | WITHOUT A FIGHT (IRE) | Simon & Ed Crisford | William Buick | 18 | 55.5kg | 113 | |
| 7 | 3217x551x8 | CAMORRA (IRE) | Ben & JD Hayes | Ben Melham | 17 | 55kg | 113 | |
| 8 | 4x2x12121x | DEAUVILLE LEGEND (IRE) | James Ferguson | Kerrin McEvoy | 9 | 55kg | 117 | |
| 9 | 127×964418 | STOCKMAN (NZ) | Joseph Pride | Sam Clipperton | 2 | 54kg | 114 | |
| 10 | x8x00x5356 | VOW AND DECLARE | Danny O’Brien | Blake Shinn | 4 | 54kg | 111 | |
| 11 | 32x528x430 | YOUNG WERTHER (NZ) | Danny O’Brien | Damian Lane | 21 (into 20) | 54kg | 110 | |
| 12 | 312×322318 | HOO YA MAL (GB) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Craig Williams | 15 | 53.5kg | 114 | |
| 13 | 786x0x0902 | SERPENTINE (IRE) | Robert Hickmott | John Allen | 23 (into 22) | 53.5kg | 104 | |
| 14 | 111213×070 | DAQIANSWEET JUNIOR (NZ) | Phillip Stokes | Daniel Moor | 13 | 53kg | 108 | |
| 15 | 2516x7x594 | GRAND PROMENADE (GB) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Harry Coffey | 1 | 53kg | 108 | |
| 16 | 2721712382 | ARAPAHO (FR) | Bjorn Baker | Ms Rachel King | 19 | 52.5kg | 106 | |
| 17 | 53x35x1581 | EMISSARY (GB) | Michael Moroney | Patrick Moloney | 3 | 51.5kg | 0.5kg | 106 |
| 18 | 1156×46612 | LUNAR FLARE | Grahame Begg | Michael Dee | 12 | 51.5kg | 0.5kg | 105 |
| 19 | 2219×92117 | SMOKIN’ ROMANS (NZ) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Ms Jamie Kah | 16 | 51.5kg | 1.5kg | 114 |
| 20 | x33219x700 | TRALEE ROSE (NZ) | Symon Wilde | Dean Yendall | 22 (into 21) | 51.5kg | 106 | |
| 21 | x7x2111x90 | POINT NEPEAN (IRE) | Robert Hickmott | Wayne Lordan | 20 | 51kg | 106 | |
| 22 | 9x25x34161 | HIGH EMOCEAN (NZ) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Teo Nugent | 8 | 50kg | 102 | |
| 23 | 11144×6536 | INTERPRETATION (IRE) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Craig Newitt | 6 | 50kg | 100 | |
| 24 | 51x006x033 | REALM OF FLOWERS | Anthony & Sam Freedman | Damien Thornton | 5 | 50kg | 104 |
